Kris Van Assche, creative head of Dior Homme, and luxury sunglasses label Oliver Peoples have already put out successful collections of their collaborative designs but this week has seen the launch of the Spring/Summer 2009 collection.

Sometimes online shopping can be as exhausting as a trudge round the real shops (remember them?) So whilst all the coolest backs in town seem have an old-school canvas rucksack slung across them, tracking said item down online is more tricky.

OK, so the slouchy beanie hat is hardly news, having been here since the days of Nirvana and worn by every self-respecting celeb as they venture out to get the milk after another all-nighter in Primrose Hill. But the beanie hat in a luxury textile casts the rock drummer’s hat of choice in an entirely new light.

Two months ago I needed to learn how to polish shoes so I YouTubed that shiz- got 1,590 hits. The interweb truly is the font of all knowledge, there are guides and video instructions for anything and everything from real experts!

It’s rare that a Christmas episode of Top of the Pops sheds light on a new sartorial trend but the most recent festive programme featured Kaiser Chiefs’ singer Ricky Wilson sporting a vintage brooch on his lapel.

Post-Christmas and the inevitable unwrapping, posing and dressing that occurs as a direct result, I find myself on the hunt for new purchases to slyly absorb into my wardrobe (NYE Resolution: hide fewer credit card bills!)

“…remember that there are no jokes when it comes to airport security.” Sage but inaccurate words from Bruce Schneier an aviation security expert commenting on what is currently the biggest joke in aviation security: the Gun Suitcase available from kidslivedesign.com retailing at a gun toting £98.

Stripe scarves are starting to become so ubiquitous that they’re joining Taz socks and Homer Simpson ties in the naffness leagues, not any old stripe scarf though, it’s the fine stripe stretchy knit scarf with usually comes in a burgundy melange of colours and has fringing on the ends.

You know when relatives get Christmas presents that just get under your skin? Well, Hama beads were that present during this holiday season. Whether in my pockets, in my shoes, woven onto my laces, down my skinny jeans (don’t ask!) they were everywhere.

As videos go this one is kinda dull. There are no explosions, guns or tits nor is there a girl satisfying a horse/dog/herself (delete as applicable) so it’s doubtful that this is the kind of fodder we would usually ogle on our TV’s or behind our bedroom’s locked door. However there are shoes, lots of lovely shoes. The video is from Band of Outsiders and showcases their collabo with Sperry bringing some awesome deck shoes for the coming season.

Over on the newly facelifted hypebeast.com is a slightly gushing but none the less interesting interview with Tommy O’Gara of Dita. Dita sit happily in the high end of the eyewear market making their name over the years for excellent craftsmanship rarely matched by other brands. Concentrating most of their efforts on the ever stylish Californian and Japanese consumers O’Gara describes the brand as having a “retro modern edge” which fits nicely into the current climate of retro style- definitely one to look out for.

Right so hopefully by now you have your look squared off to a tee, but as I may have mentioned before style does not begin or end with your clothes so now it’s time to adorn your bed with some uber cool bedding. From the mad caps at Bless comes this bed spread with a life size sleeping couple printed …

Like most things in fashion the popularity of glasses waxes and wains, right now it’s waxing- which is lucky for me, a closet speccy four eyes- thick rims and in particular Ray Bans are hot shit right now so much so that people with perfect 20 – 20 vision are donning pairs with clear glass lenses in. So now is the time to announce some exclusive and pretty unaccessible frames for you to drool over, to the left is the Moscot Lemtosh frames in a whole new colourway, these frames have outlasted entire generations spanning pop culture from Buddy Holly to Johnny Depp and to the right is the latest collab between Stussy and Kotake Cyobei Saku, more contemporary than the Moscot this pair of the already proven Naomi frames takes a subtle edge with an all black rim.

The other day I posted an alternative to the bow tie .. and here’s another. The kerchief worn as necktie adds a jaunty, hipster edge to your shirt collar. There are several ways to knot, consider your personal style and what you’re wearing it with. Ideally find something vintage. Silk always looks dashing or use that spotted pocket square you’ve never had a use for.

Everyone is guilty of it, (well not everyone, I have a colour-coded Google Docs spreadsheet, natch!) but last-minute Christmas shopping can often leave you with gifts that have an air of desperation about them.